The Foreign Office is investigating Hamas’s allegation that a British-Israeli hostage was killed in Gaza

The Foreign Office is investigating a Hamas claim that a British-Israeli hostage died in Gaza.

Hamas, designated a terrorist group by the British government, claims Nadav Popplewell died from wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike more than a month ago.

Mr Popplewell, 51, was arrested along with his mother Channah Peri on October 7 as militants crossed the border fence and carried out deadly attacks in Israel.

The Israeli military has not yet issued a statement.

A Foreign Office spokesman said they urgently needed further information on the matter.

It added that the ministry’s thoughts “are with his family at this extremely troubling time.”

In a brief statement through the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, Mr. Popplewell’s family called on media organizations not to publish footage of him released by Hamas on Saturday that shows him with a black eye in captivity.

Mr Popplewell’s sister Ayelet Svatitzky told the BBC last October how gunmen had attacked the kibbutz in southern Israel where they lived and killed their older brother Roi.

On the day of the attack, Ms. Svatitzky said she received two images sent by the attackers from her mother’s phone that showed the couple sitting in her mother’s living room. Underneath it was written “Hamas” in English.

Hours later, a third picture was posted on her mother’s Facebook showing her with a Hamas gunman in the corner.

Ms. Svatitzky’s mother was released last November during a temporary ceasefire agreed between Hamas and Israel.

According to Israeli authorities, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, which killed about 1,200 people and took 252 others hostage.

More than 34,900 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

According to Israel, 128 hostages are missing.